Reel for transporting cable



1 R.v McGUlRE 1,944,188

REEL FOR TRANSPORTING CABLE .Filed Sep. 27, 1928 Jan. 23, 1934.I

2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 23, 1934.

Sm aa L. R. MCGUIRE REEL FOR TRANSPORTING CABLE Filed Sept. 27, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 23, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REELFOR TRANSPORTING CABLE Application September 27, 1928 Serial N0. 308,661

16 Claims. (Cl. 20G-59) This invention relates to reels, and moreparticularly to metallic reels for holding cable or other heavy materialsusceptible of being wound thereon.

An object of the invention is` to provide a reel of rigid and economicalconstruction and which may be readily assembled and disassembled.

In accordance with the general features of the invention, one embodimentthereof1 comprises a metal reel having annularly formed I beamssurrounding the peripheries of the heads for removably securing lagsformed of sheet metal for enclosing the reel. The heads have spokesconsisting of angle members which are Welded to hubs and to the annularI beams. A metal drum is secured to the spokes by means of annular anglemembers welded to its ends and providing anges therefor. An enclosure ofsheet metal extends around each head between the drum and the I beam. Aplurality of drums may be interconnected to form a reel of apredetermined length.

A clear understanding of the invention may be had from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying. drawings,

wherein y Fig. 1 is an end view of a reel embodying the features of theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a frontelevational view, partly in section, of the reel shownin Fig. 1, with a supply of cable wound thereon;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the lags used forenclosing the reel;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing the structure forsecuring the lags in position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. .4; l

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary, sectional view taken on line M ofFig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a reel, consistingof a number of drums of the type shown in Fig. 2 connected end to end;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of a strengthening plate used tointerconnect and support the drums of the reel shown in Fig. 7; and uFig. 9 is a fragmentary end view of the strengthening plate shown inFig. 8.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to similarparts throughout the several views, there is disclosed a reel havingheads designated generally as 10. The central portion of each headcomprises a cylindrical hub 11, which may consist of ordinary metalpiping or of a rounded and butt welded plate or the like, and a circularplate 12 surrounding the hub 11. To this central portion of the reel arewelded the inner ends of spokes 15, consisting of angle members, whichmay be formed of angle iron. The inner ends of these spokes are suitablyshaped (as shown in Fig. 1), so that the ends of each of the outwardlydisposed legs 16 of each of the angle members abuts against theperiphery of the hub 11, thus providing axial lines of welding 17between the inner ends of the spokes and the hub (Fig. 1). Legs 18 ofthe angular spokes 15, at right angles to said outwardly disposed legs16, are flat against the circular plate 12, and provide for weldingthereto along three edges 20, 21, and 22 of the angular spokes (Fig. 1).The welding of the spokes to the hub 11 and plate 12 in this mannerprovides a strong central portion f or each head of the reel.

A metal drum 25 is secured between the heads 75 10 for sustaining acable 26, or other heavy material that may be wound thereon. Annularlyformed angle members 27 are welded to the ends of the drum to provideflanges therefor for securing the drum to the heads. The welding ofthese flanges tothe drum is preferably carried out as disclosed in Fig.6, two edges 30 and 31 of the angle member being Welded to the drum.Bolts 32, or other suitable means, secure the drum anges 27 to themiddle portions of the spokes 15.

Each head 10 is enclosed in its outer portion by a circular piece ofsheet metal 35 interposed between the flanges 27 of the drum and thespokes 15. This sheet metal is spot welded to the spokes; as designatedat 36 (Fig. 1), and is further welded about its periphery as describedbelow.

An annularly formed I beam 37 surrounds the periphery of each head ofthe reel. This I beam is secured to the head by being Welded to theouter ends of the spokes 15, as designated at 38 (Fig. 6). As describedabove, the peripheral edges of the circular sheet metal plates 35 arespot Welded to the inner` surfaces of the I beams 37, designated at 40(Fig. 1).

Lags 41, preferably formed of sheet metal, are disposed between the Ibeams 37 for enclosing the reel to protect the cable 26. In thedisclosed embodiment of the invention these lags are channel shaped tofit within the opposed inside channels 44 of the I beams 37 surroundingthe heads, but, of course, other type of metal lags will also serve thepurpose, and in place of I beams other suitable circumferential headstructures might be used for securing the lags. In the invention asdisclosed the lags 41 are entered within the inner channels 11o 44 ofthe I beams 37 through slots 46-46 in the outer flanges 49 of the Ibeams. After a sufficient number of lags have been entered through theseslots and moved about the periphery of the reel to form a completeenclosure, locking members 50 are closed over the slots 46 to secure thelags 41 in position. The locking member 50 consists of a metal straphinged by a rivet 53 to the outer ange 49 of the I beam, the friction ofthe strap between the I beam flange and the lag 41 retaining the strapin the locked position. The locking member may be rotated to an open orunlocked position as indicated in the dotted position in Fig. 4 andWhile the member is in this unlocked position, it will, of course, beunderstood that the lags 41 may be readily inserted or removed throughthe slots 46 in the I beams. The above described lag and cooperating Ibeam construction provides a rigid and substantial structure forenclosing the reel.

It is to be noted that the peripheral enclosure is one that may bereadily removed or installed. The locking bars 50 and cooperating slots46 provide a ready and simple means for inserting the lags in positionor for removing them. When the lags 41 are removed and the reel is beingtransported empty, the lags may be bunched and tied to the center of thereel as shown at 58 .(Fig. l), by means of wires 61 extending throughapertures 60 in the lags, and apertures 62 in the plates 12.

A plurality of drums of the construction above described may beinterconnected as shown in Fig. 7 to form a reel of a predeterminedlength. In this composite type of reel, a plurality of steel drums 25are secured together in abutting relation by means of bolts 65, and theresulting composite drum is then secured at each end to a head 10 bymeans of bolts 32 or other suitable means. The heads and peripheralenclosures used in this lengthened reel are of the same kind as thoseused in the reel shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In fact, it is because of thestrength provided by the type of steel reel disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2that a number of such drums as 25 may be connected in abutting relationas shown in Fig. 7 to provide a reel that is longer than that commonlyused. In order to add strength to vthis lengthened reel, an axle 69 inthe form of a pipe is provided to extend between the heads, and thispipe supports strengthening plates or discs 70, to which the flanges 2'7of the drums are connected. These plates are provided with centralangular flanges 71 welded thereto which bear against the pipe 69 whenthe reel is loaded. Pipe flanges 73 on the ends of the pipe securet inposition between the heads. By the type of construction just describedthere may be provided a rigid lengthened reel for sustaining a largesupply of cable.

It is, of course, to be understood that the invention is not limited tothe specic embodiment described, but is restricted only by the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a reel, a metallic head, lags for enclosing the reel, and aunitary annular metallic channel member welded to the head for securingthe lags to the reel.

2. In a reel, a metallic head including a hub, members welded to the huband radiating therefrom, and a unitary annular channel member welded to`the outer ends of the members.

3. In a metal reel, a head including a hub, a plate surrounding the hub,angle members lwelded to thehub and plate and radiating therefrom toserve as spokes, an annular I beam welded t0 outer ends of the radiatingangle members, and lags removably secured to the annular I beam forenclosing the reel.

4. In a metal reel, a plurality of heads, each including a hub, a platesurrounding the hub, angle members welded to the hub and plate andradiating therefrom to serve as spokes, an annularly formed I beamWelded to outer ends of the spokes, and channel shaped metal lagsremovably secured between` the I beams of the heads for enclosing thereel.

5. In a metal reel, a drum, annularly formed angle members Welded to theends of the drum to provide flanges therefor, a head secured to one ofsaid flanges, said head including a hub, a plate surrounding the hub,angle members welded to the hub and plate and radiating therefrom toserve as spokes, an annularly formed I beam welded to the outer ends ofthe spokes, metal lags removably secured to the I beam for enclosing theperiphery of the reel, and a metallic enclosure for the head interposedbetween the spokes and the drum flange and Welded to the I beam.

6. In a reel, a metallic head, an annular channel member welded to andsurrounding the head, a plurality of lags engaging the channel of theannular member, a flange of said annular member being slotted tofacilitate the insertion and removal of the lags and a pivoted memberfor securing the inserted lags against displacement.

'7. In a metal reel, a metallic head including a hub, metallic memberswelded to the hub and radiating therefrom to serve as spokes, and anannular metallic beam surrounding the radiating members and welded tothe outer end surfaces thereof.

8. In a metal reel, a metallic lhead including a hub, metallicv memberswelded to the plate and radiating therefrom to serve as spokes, and anannular channelled metallic beam surrounding the radiating members andwelded to the outer end surfaces thereof. Y 9. In a metal reel, ametallic head including a hub, a metal plate surrounding the hub,metallic members welded to the hub and plate and radiating therefrom toserve as spokes, an annular channelled metallic beam welded to the outerend surfaces of the radiating angle members, and lags removably securedto the annular channelled 125 beam for enclosing the reel.

10. In a metal reel, a metallic head including a hub, a metal platesurrounding the hub, and metallic angle members to serve as spokes andhaving one face in contact with the plate and 130 welded thereto andhaving another face contacting the hub tangentially and welded thereto.

11. A cable reel comprising spaced metallic heads, a drum positionedtherebetween, and lags for enclosing the reel, each head having ametallic 135 annular lag supporting member, and metallic spokesinterconnecting the member and the drum.

12. A cable reel comprising spaced metallic heads, a drum positionedtherebetween, and lags for enclosing the reel, each head including a 140metallic hub, metallic members welded to the hub and extending therefromto serve as spokes, and an annular channelled lag supporting membersecured to the outer end surfaces of the spokes.

13. A cable reel comprising spaced heads, a 145 drum positionedtherebetween, and channel shaped sheet metal lags removably secured tothe heads for enclosing the reel.

14. A reel comprising spaced metallic heads and a drum securedtherebetween, each head compris- 150 and removal of the lags, and meansfor closing the slot to prevent displacement of the lags.

16. A cable reel comprising spaced heads, a

drum therebetween, and channel shaped lags removably attachable to theheads for enclosing the reel, the flanges of said channel lags beingoutwardly flared to permit a compact nesting of *the lags. LEE ROYMcGUIRE.

